A concise guide to the world of cinema, tv, and games through the eyes of a sociopath

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Plot: When Beavis awakes from a slumber, he discovers the worst possible scenario, as the television has vanished. Butt-Head is able to deduce through the evidence at hand that the situation sucks, so a plan is hatched to get a new television. A trip to the school to liberate the A/V club television goes south and Tom Anderson is unwilling to lend his camper’s use, so the two friends head to a local motel, where the sign advertises TV in big, neon letters. This leads to the room of a strange man, one who seems to have expected them to arrive and offers ten thousand dollars if the two will do his wife. This is great news of course, because it means not only will they score, but the money they earn can replace their lost television. So the two begin a misadventure that will take them all over the United States, pull them into a murderous couple’s affairs, and give them the chance to be the heroes they’ve always had the potential to be.

Entertainment Value: This big screen adventure for our small screen heroes captures all of the magic of the television show, but dials up the scope and throws in some pretty impressive cast members. As a big fan of the Beavis and Butt-Head TV show, I appreciated how faithful this movie adaptation was, especially given how close we were to a live action feature instead. The narrative falls in line with the show’s sensibilities, with our buddies stumbling into a situation and just rolling with the punches, oblivious to the dangers around them. To me, that is the best case scenario for the movie, as it just provides a bigger stage for the adventures and doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but also never feels stale. I also like that while this movie feels familiar and has plenty of ties to the television series, it doesn’t force in fan service and has a good balance between old favorites and new content. I’m sure some will miss Buzzcut and some others who are absent, but I feel the movie nails that sweet spot where the world feels like the same one from the TV show, but also reflects that we’re not in Highland anymore. The humor is just what you’d expect, the same crude jokes and outlandish antics as always, just given an extra couple notches of kick here.

Beavis and Butt-Head have the clear leads here, as it well should be, but they’re given plenty of supporting characters to be awkward with as well. Some are familiar, such as Daria, Tom Anderson, and Mr. Van Driessen, but we also have some new folks and to me, they’re mostly great additions. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore voice the couple at the center of the narrative and turn in solid efforts, while Robert Stack is fantastic as a special agent who just barks orders and demands body cavity searches. His voice adds so much to the role and makes a small role into a memorable one, without question. But to me, the show stealer here is Cloris Leachman as the old woman the two keep running into in their adventure. She and Beavis have some of the movie’s funniest moments and she brings a lot to the table. The movie’s animation is faithful to the show, with the same basic design approach we’re used to, but of course the movie looks more polished and detailed. In the end, this is honestly about the best possible cinematic adaptation fans of the show could hope for. A movie that stays true to the TV show, but ramps up the production values and scope in the process. If you’re even a casual fan of the show, you have to add this movie to your collection.